updated 10 November 2022
© Alexander Schubert

Alexander Schubert

German composer born 13 July 1979 in Bremen.

Alexander Schubert studied computer programming and cognitive sciences from 2002 to 2006 at the University of Leipzig, and then multimedia composition with Georg Hajdu and Manfred Stahnke at the Hamburg Hochschule für Musik und Theater, graduating with a Master’s degree in 2010. His thesis (still in progress) is focused on composition using gesture capturing. In 2016, he was a visiting professor at Folkwang Universität in Essen.

In addition to his work as a composer and researcher, Alexander Schubert is active as a performer, programmer and organiser. He is a founding member of Decoder Ensemble, founder and organiser of the Ahornfelder Festival of Electronic Music in Leipzig, and director of the Ahornfelder record label. Since 2011, he has taught live electronics at the Lübeck Conservatory, where he also directs the electronic music studio.

His music is characterised by combinations of different styles (hardcore, free jazz, techno) with concepts from contemporary music. He explores all possible connections between acoustic and electronic music. His works for fixed media and his scores for live electronics make up as much a part of his creative output as the computer programmes he develops or his intuitive use of instruments in improvisatory settings. Recent works such as A Perfect Circle and Unity Switch (2019) make significant use of visual and sensorial elements, notably employing virtual reality technology, and make extensive use of artificial intelligence (Holo_Acid.MOV (CRYPT-File), Convergence, 2021).

Alexander Schubert has been commissioned by the Darmstadt International Institute, Ensemble Resonanz, IRCAM and Intégrales Ensemble, among others. His works have been performed in venues and festivals such as IRCAM, NIME in Sydney, Centre de Recherche Informatique et Création Musicale at Paris VIII University, ZKM, Darmstadt Summer Courses, New York University, Essl Museum in Klosterneuburg, the Sound and Music Computing Conference in Porto, the Mittersill Composers’ Forum, Technische Universität Berlin, Mulhouse Kunsthalle Contemporary Art Centre, Akousma Festival in Montréal, the Klangwerktage Festival in Hamburg, the Vienna Festival, the Midwest Electronic Music Festival in Kansas City, the Karlsruhe ARD Radio Play Days Festival and the Ljubljana Summer Festival.

His music has been performed by ensembles including Ictus, Nadar, Intégrales, Mosaïk and Decoder, and soloists such as Barbara Lüneburg and John Eckhardt.

Awards, Prizes and Residencies

  • 2014, Residence at the Karlsruhe Zentrum für Kunst und Medien.
  • 2013, Giga Hertz Prize from the Karlsruhe Zentrum für Kunst und Medien.
  • 2012, Fifth European Composition and Performance of Live-Electronic Music Competition Prize from the European Conference of Promoters of New Music.
  • 2010, Study Grant from the Darmstadt Summer Course.
  • 2010, Research Project at the Mons Numediart Institute.
  • 2009, Bourges International Institute of Electroacoustic Music Prize.
  • 2009, Graduate of the Germano-Canadian “Jeux de temps/Times Play” Project.

© Ircam-Centre Pompidou, 2017

Sources

  • Site personnel du compositeur (voir ressources documentaires), Festival Musica.
  • Solo (excluding voice)
  • Chamber music
    • elec La Digression fragmentée for flute, guitar, percussion, marimba and electronics (2008)
    • elec Night of the Living Dead for piano, double bass, saxophone, percussion and electronics (2009)
    • elec Superimpose I for piano, double bass, saxophone, percussion and electronics (2009)
    • elec Bureau Del Sol for drums, saxophone [or piano / electric guitar / clarinet], timecoded vinyl and gesture sensors (2010)
    • elec Semaphores for guitar, percussion, saxophone and electronics (2010)
    • elec Superimpose III - "Infinite Jest" for electric guitar, drums, saxophone and live electronics (2010)
    • elec Superimpose IV - "Streamlines" for electric guitar, bass clarinet, saxophone, percussion and electronics (2010)
    • elec Superimpose V - "Sugar, Maths and Whips" for violin, double bass, piano, drums and electronics (2011)
    • elec Point Ones for small ensemble and live electronics (2012), 13 mn
    • elec Lucky Dip for electronic drums, keyboard, electric guitar and electronics (2013)
    • elec Sensate Focus for electric guitar, bass clarinet, percussion, violin, live electronics and animated light (2014)
    • elec ircam Serious Smile for piano, percussion, cello and conductor equipped with gesture sensors, and live electronics (2013-2014), 13 mn
    • elec Grinder for electric guitar, saxophone, percussion, keyboard and electronics (2015)
    • elec CODEC ERROR for double bass, two percussionists and light (2017)
    • elec Browsing, Idling, Investigating, Dreaming improvisation score for online quatuor (2020)
  • Instrumental ensemble music
    • elec The Grand Dissection for large ensemble, conductor and live electronics (2011), 20 mn
    • elec SCANNERS for string ensemble, choreography and electronics (2013)
    • elec Black Mirror installation-concert for ensemble, light, video and electronics (2016), 60 mn
    • elec F1 for variable ensemble, two performers, light and video (2016)
    • elec ircam Convergence for string ensemble and AI system (2020-2021), 35 mn
    • elec Holo_Acid.MOV (CRYPT-File) AI-based ensemble piece (2021), 18 mn
    • elec Sleep Laboratory VR-based immersive installation, for ensemble musicians/performers and VR video (2022), 60 mn
  • Vocal music and instrument(s)
    • elec Your Fox's A Dirty Gold for solo performer with voice, motion sensors, electric guitar and live electronics (2011), 14 mn
    • Bird Snapper for singer, saxophone, electric bass, electric guitar, drums and keyboard (2012), 7 mn
    • elec Star Me Kitten for singer, flexible ensemble, video and electronics (2015)
    • elec Supramodal Parser four-piece program for singer, electric guitar, saxophone, percussion, piano and electronics (2015)
  • Electronic music / fixed media / mechanical musical instruments
    • elec Solid Strate audiovisual installation (2016)
    • elec Av3ry AI music project for server, continuous (2019)
    • elec Crawlers autonomous AI bot collective (2021)
  • Unspecified instrumentation
    • elec A Set of Dots for electronics (2008)
    • elec Nachtschatten for electronics (2008), 12 mn
    • elec Some Forgotten Patterns (2009)
    • elec A Few Plateaus for laptop quintet (2010)
    • elec Unit Cycle audiovisual installation (2013)
    • elec HELLO for {any number of} instruments, live-electronics and video (2014)
    • elec Mimicry piece for tape (2015), 10 mn
    • elec Silent Posts for one or more performers with or without electronics (2016)
    • Black out BRD for any combination of instruments (2017)
    • elec Public Domain for one performer or more (2017)
    • elec Acceptance documentary work for a performer alone (2018), between 20 mn and 30 mn
    • elec Control participatory installation (2018), variable
    • elec A Perfect Circle therapeutic session for audience, two reciters, two assistants and a supervisor (2019), 40 mn
    • elec Unity Switch interactive and performative virtual installation (2019), 30 mn
    • Genesis virtual real-life computer game, 7 days/ 24h (2020)
    • elec Asterism Immersive AI Oracle Simulation (2021), 36 h
    • elec ircam stage ANIMA TM multimedia theater play for seven performers and instrumentalists (2021-2022), 1 h 30 mn [program note]
    • elec Asterism (Outdoor Version) Immersive AI Oracle Simulation (2022)

Documents

Liens Internet

(liens vérifiés en juin 2022).

Bibliographie

  • Stefan DREES, « Gestische Momente und energetisches Potenzial Zur Musik Alexander Schuberts », Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, 3/2014, p. 48-51.
  • Leopold HURT, « Zwischen Hardcore und Software: Ein Porträt des Komponisten Alexander Schubert », Positionen, 102, 2015, p. 31-33.
  • Zubin KANGA, « Flaws in the Body and How We Work with Them: An Interview with Composer Alexander Schubert », Contemporary Music Review, 2016, p. 535-553.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, « Binäre Komposition », MusikTexte, Heft 153, mai 2017, p. 46-50.
  • Rainer NONNENMANN, « Der Mensch denkt, die Machine lenkt : ein Porträt des Komponisten Alexander Schubert », MusikTexte, Heft 153, mai 2017, p. 33-42.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, Hanno EHRLER, « Verbindung von Körper und Klang : Alexander Schubert im Gespräch », MusikTexte, Heft 153, mai 2017, p. 43-45.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, « Virtualität und Täuschung », MusikTexte, Heft 158, août 2018, p. 18-27.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, Switching Worlds, Hofheim, Wolke Verlag, 2021, à télécharger ici.

Discographie

  • Alexander SCHUBERT, Pasword Disco, Nadar Ensemble, dans « Nadar 10th Anniversary Vinyl », 1 vinyle, 2016.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, Sugar, Maths and Whips, Decoder Ensemble, dans « Decoder Ensemble », 1 cd Ahornfelder, 2015.  
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, *plays Sinebag,*1 cd Ahornfelder, 2011, AH16.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, Weapon of Choice, dans « Weapon of Choice », Barbara Lüneburg : violon, 1 dvd Ahornfelder, 2011, AH21.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, Semaphores, dans « Muu for Ears 3 », 1 cd MUU, 2010.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, Nachtschatten, dans « Cache 2009 », 2 cds CEC-PeP, 2010, PEP 014.
  • Alexander SCHUBERT, Weapon a Choice, dans « Farben. », Konfomi#14, 2 cds Einklang Records, 2009.